Contributed by Ron Inglis, October 2021
Engineer Captain Robert Davis Murray 29, born in Scotland, was one of the earliest to enlist in the AIF, signing up within weeks of the declaration of war in August 1914. Initially a private, Murray was promoted over the next 18 months, right through all levels of the rank structure up to captain.
Murray arrived on the Gallipoli peninsular on 7 May 1915 and, apart from a month back on Lemnos with disease, he was on Gallipoli through to the evacuation in December 1915. Back in Egypt Murray was promoted to Captain and allocated to the 2nd Battalion. He moved off to the Western Front arriving in the French port of Marseilles on 28 March 1916. Murray served on the Western Front for six months before his random death in Belgium on 5 September 1916.
At the end of August 1916, ANZAC 1 Corps was withdrawn from the attack on the Somme and moved up into Belgium to take up positions in the line around the fortress town of Ypres (Wipers in soldier slang). Officially this was a ‘rest’ as the corps was not attacking, just defending. Nevertheless, three Auburn Memorial men died while serving in this area: Arthur Andrews, John Wheeler and Robert Murray. All three were buried in the Railway Dugouts Burial Ground, Ypres, Belgium.
For his grave his family chose the inscription LOST BUT NOT FORGOTTEN. It is not clear who put Murray’s name forward to the Auburn Memorial committee. It was added to the memorial after unveiling day, 30 April 1922.
Auburn Memorial men Captain Robert Murray and 3178 Private David Murray were not related.
Robert Murray is honoured on the following memorials in Australia:
- Auburn War Memorial
- Municipality of Auburn 1914-1919 Honour Roll
- Roll of Honour Australian War Memorial Canberra
His decorations:
- Victory Medal
- British War Medal 1914-20
- 1914-1915 Star
